Machine for cleaning fibers.



No. 730,701. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1903.

M. PRIETO.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING FIBERS.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JUNE 4, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 8HEET$SHEET 1..

INVENTOR PATENTED JUNE 9 1903.

M. PRIEITO. I MACHINE FOR CLEANING FIBERS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4. 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R0 MODEL.

INVENTOR i\To. 730,701.

Patented June 9, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

MANUEL PRIETO, OF MEXICO, MEXICO.

V MACHINE FOR CLEANING FIBERS,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,701, dated June 9,1903.

Application filed June 4,1902. Serial No. 110,149. (No model.)

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, MANUEL PRIETO, a citizen of the Republic of Mexico,residing in the city of Mexico, in the Republic of Mexico, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Cleaning Fibers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The machine is intended more particularly for treating in a green stateportions of plants having strong fibers extending lengthwise therein. Itreduces to a broken and more or less pulped condition the outer coveringand other material in the plant, leaving the fibers thoroughly cleaned.The plants on which my experiments have been made are a species of aloe,abundant in Central America, known as Agave sisal'ienses. I willdescribe the invention as applied to the treatment of the large andtough leaves of such plants. Many eiforts for the extraction of thefibers of this and kindred plants have been previously made by myselfand others, one of the earliest examples being set forth in a patent toDemetrio Prieto, dated May 29, 1883, No. 278,668.

The present invention is an improvement over any before known to me inimportant points.

My improved machine is of the class in which one end of each leaf ispresented to the action of rapidlyrevolving boaters which remove theundesirable material and then shifting the hold of the feeding meansfrom the untreated to the treated portion and presenting the previouslyuntreated portion of such leaf after such shifting to be in its turnbeaten and cleaned. The improvements relate to the means for holding theleaf strongly during the first period in which each is beaten, holdingit lightly during the period while it is being shifted, and holding itgently and carrying it automatically by a smooth continuous movementwhile it is being transferred to the other beater, and, finally, holdingit still more efficiently while it is subjected to the second andprincipal beating.

The following is a description of What I consider the best means ofcarrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side View. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1,partly in elevation; and Fig. 3 isaplan view with some ofthe upperportions removed. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing one of the linksof the main carrying-chain on a larger scale. Fig. 5 is a correspondingperspective view of one link of the lower chain.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures where they appear.

A is the fixed framing, of cast-iron or other suitable material, inwhich are bearings which support a stout shaft B, carrying a drum 13%,provided with boaters B which beat and clean a short length of thebutt-end of the several leaves successively presented to them. Theleaves may be introduced by an attendant sitting or standing in aconvenient position at the right of the machine, as-seen in Fig. 2, andare placed on the endless chain D, which runs over two polygonal wheelsF and G, supported by brackets A which constitute portions of the mainframe and are slowly revolved by gears actuated by a belt (not shown)running on a pulley E. H is a wheel adjustably and yieldingly carried inbrackets A above this chain and arranged to partially crush that portionof the leaf which is to be grasped. Immediately after this treatment theleaf is carried under a platen A with provisions by the screws A foradjusting its vertical position and springs A for allowing it to yieldupward if the upward pressure, due to the passage of the leaf between itand the chain D,becomes excessive. The under. surface of the platen A isgrooved longitudinally. The outer surface of the severallinks of thechain D are grooved longitudinally to match. Each edge of thebearing-surface of the chain is serrated, as plainly shown in Figs. 2and 4:. The serrations engage the leaf and promote its being traversedalong when it is first applied on the exposed surface of the chain, andthe grooving of the mid-width of each link and the correspondinggrooving of the platen A aid in holding the leaf strongly to resist thelongitudinal pull due to the action of the boaters. When a leaf has beenthus slowly carried past the beating-drum B all of the leaf whichextends beyond the chain in that direction has been thoroughly cleaned.The untreated portion of the leaf is then seized by anobliquely-traversed chain T, running on wheels R S by the aid ofgearing. This chain traverses at a speed just sufficiently in excess ofthat of the main chain D, and the general position of the leaf ismaintained, and there is a sufficiently strong grip between this chain Tand a smooth top bar A mounted adjustably and yieldingly above, to pullthe leaf through its now relaxed grip between the chain D and thesurface above.

A isa horizontal arm forming a rigid extension from the framing, whichby the aid of adjusting-screws and gentle springs, as shown, holdslightly down the top bar A This maintains a slight pressure on each leafand on the fiber to which it has been reduced as the leaf, now cleanedfiber at one end, is carried forward after its escape from the firstheater and while it is being moved endwise by the pull which it receivesfrom the stronger grip of the obliquely-traversing chain T. The partsare so adjusted that this motion obtains to a sufficient extent to haveonly the cleaned fiber of each leaf upon the chain D after it has passedthis portion of its route. As this laterally-shifting motion of eachleaf approaches completion it is subjected to the pressure of a cord orlight chain, which I will term a band L, which hugs closely to the chainD as it moves downward in its traverse half around the wheel F. L andits mountings will be again referred to farther on. On the emergence ofthe leaf from the gentle hold between the main chain D and this lightchain or bandit is seized be-' tween the main chain and a stout bottomchain P, which latter runs over two wheels 0 and Q,and is subjected to asecond beating,

which cleans the whole of the portionnot before treated. The secondbeating-drum M is like the first beating-drum B but acts on the oppositeside of the chains and is revolved in the opposite direction. I makethis second drum larger, because it has to treat a longer portion of theleaf and fiber. After this second treatment the now com-;

pletely-cleaued strick of fiber is discharged and may be carried away.

inner face with means for reducing the friction as they move past-thestrongly-supported In the second tween the same chain D and the platen Abecause of the reduced quantity of material embraced due to thecleaning. The bottom chain is in shorter links than the main chain.There is only one roller on the inner face of each length of the bottomchain. There are This chain or band The whole two on the inner face ofeach of the links of the main chain. The light band or chain L is likethe several other chains endless. After each portion of the band hastraversed down- Ward in its circuit half around the wheel F it isreturned by being caused to pass around pulleys K K K held in a framingA adjusted on the main framing A.

The driving-gear will be readily understood. Belts from suitable pulleyson the motor (not shown) apply directlyto the pulleys represented on theshafts of the two beater-wheels. The driving of the chain D is effectedby a separate belt running on a pulley E, which is set on a shaft I andthrough the beve-lwheels I and J drives theshaft J, on whichvis set thepolygon F. The chain composed of the links D gets its motion from thispolygonal wheel F, the corresponding polygonal wheel G being turned bythe chain. The lower chain P, stretched by the wheels 0 Q, is turned bythe friction of the main chain above.

Modifications may be made without departing from the principle orsacrificing the advantages of the invention.

It is highly desirable in practice to allow' the grip on the leaves tobe yielding when subjected to excessive force from an extra hard orextra large quantity of the material passing through; but I can operatethe machine successfully, having the yielding in the first traverse onthe under side in place of the unyielding part A shown, and I can in thesecond traverse have the yielding below the upper member of the bottomchain P instead of above the lower part of the chain D, as shown, or Ican make both surfaces yielding in either or both theplaces.

Instead of a light chain for the endless flexible band L, I can, asbefore intimated, use sufficiently stout rope made of similar sisal orother coarse and strong fiber, or I can use leather or other strongmaterial having sufiicient flexibility and able to endure the watery andsometimes acid material with which it is worked.

It is important to relieve the chains as far as practicable fromfriction in their passages The main chain D and the supplementary orbottom chain P are each provided on its.

first one way and then the other in presenting the leaves for theirseveral portions to be successively treated. I have shown twoantifriction-rollers arranged to serve this function on the severallinks of the main chain D and only one on the corresponding thin face ofeach of the shorter links of the bottom chain P. These numbers may bevaried.

Some of the advantages due to certain features of the invention may beseparately enumerated as follows: First, by reason of the fact that thechain D is composed of links which are not only grooved longitudinallyon their working faces, but are'also serrated on their edges, and of thesubstantial fixed platen A grooved longitudinally, matching thereto, itis easy to supply the material by holding the leaves crosswise in theproper transverse position on the portion of the chain which extendsbeyond the platen without any danger of injury to the hands of theattendant and to hold the leaves with sufficient firmness for thecleaning of the butts without further holding means; second, by reasonof the same, with the addition of the wheel H, which latter by partiallycrushing destroys the integrity and more or less completely maceratesthe skin and the pulpy materials of the leaf along so much of the lengthof the leaf. as is to be seized by the chain and platen, I am able tooperate with more certainty of success; third, by reason of the twobeating-drums B and M and of the carrying means T for the shifting ofthe leaves laterally and of the lightly-pressed top bar A forholding theleaves gently down upon the chain D, I am able to insure the continuedtraverse of the leaves forward and to move them laterally to the extentrequired certainly and uniformly without allowing them so much libertyas to become displaced; fourth, by reason of the same and of the lightcontinuous hand L pressing with considerable force on the leaves andholding them upon the chain D during the traverse of the latter downwardand partially around the wheel F, I am able to insure the carrying ofthe leaves successfully to the second heating-drum M, and thus to attainthe complete cleaning of the entire leaf; fifth, by reason of the bottomchain P and its carrying-wheels O and Q and of the adjustable andslightlyyielding platen A adapted to press on the chain D in thisportion of its course, and of the strong support A arranged to back thechain I, I am able to hold these chains very firmly together and tothereby give the specially strong pressure required to hold the materialby its previously-cleaned fiber to allow the main portion of the leaf tobe treated by the beating in the opposite direction performed by thesecond beater M.

I claim as my invention- 1. ..In a machine for cleaning fiber havingmeans B for heating and cleaning, a slightlyyielding adjustable platen Agrooved in the direction of the feed, in combination with feeding meansD having the working surfaces correspondingly grooved longitudinallyalong a portion of its Width and serrated along its edges, arranged toextend beyond the platen with a clear space above adapted to serve,substantially as herein specified.

2. In a machine for cleaning fiher'having means 13 for heating andcleaning, a roller H beyond the platen, all adapted to servesnbstantially as herein specified.

3. In a machine for cleaning fiber having means 13 for beating andcleaning, two series of heaters arranged to act in succession on theseveral leaves, a feed-carrier D traversed past the same, provisions Afor holding the several leaves strongly in passing the first heaters,provisions A for subsequently holding the leaves on the carrier withvery gentle force, and provisions T for shifting the leaves laterally,all combined and arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

4. In a machine for cleaning fiber having means B for beating andcleaning, two series of heaters arranged to actin succession on theseveral leaves, a feed-carrier D traversed past the same, provisions Afor holding the several leaves strongly in passing the first heaters,provisions A for subsequently holding the leaves on the carrier withvery gentle force, provisions T for shifting the leaves laterally, aflexible band L and carrying-pulleys K K K therefor, and the chain D andwheel F, all combined and arranged to serve substantially as hereinspecified.

5. In a machine for cleaning fiber having means for beating andcleaning, two series of heaters arranged to act in succession on theseveral leaves, a feed carrier D traversed past the same, provisions A Afor holding the several leaves strongly in passing the first heaters,provisions A for relaxing the grip of the feeding device after passingthe first heaters, provisions A", T, for shifting the leaves laterally,and a flexible traversing band L and carrying-pulleys K K K therefor,and the chain D and wheel F, in combination with a bottom chain P andcarryingwheels 0 and Q and adjustable pressing means arranged to holdthe leaves with great force and carry them past the second heaters, allsubstantially as herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

MANUEL PRIETOP Witnesses:

J. B. OLAUrIoE, M. F. BOYLE.

ICC

